NIECE MOTORSPORTS
NCTS RACE PREVIEW: GRAND PRIX OF ST. PETERSBURG
Event: OnlyBulls Green Flag 150 (80 laps / 144 miles)
Round: 3 of 25 (Regular Season)
Track: Grand Prix of St. Petersburg
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Date & Time: Saturday, February 28 | 12:00 PM ET
Tune-In: FOX | NASCAR Racing Network (NRN) | SiriusXM Ch. 90
Team Stats & Notes
- Niece Motorsports Road Course Stats:
NOAPS Starts: 1; Best Finish: 31st (Victor Gonzalez, Jr. – Watkins Glen, 2018)
NCTS Starts: 52; Poles: 2 (Carson Hocevar – Sonoma, 2022 & Ross Chastain – COTA, 2023) Top-Fives: 4; Top-10s: 13; Best Finish: 3rd (Hocevar – Mid-Ohio, 2023).
- New Track: This weekend will mark the first time that the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) will race at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Saturday’s OnlyBulls Green Flag 150 will be the first of four road course events on the 2026 calendar, including Watkins Glen International, Naval Base Coronado (San Diego), and Lime Rock Park.
No. 4 DQS Solutions & Staffing / J.F. Electric Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Ben Maier | Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett
- Welcome, Ben Maier: 17-year-old Ben Maier will make his first NCTS start with Niece Motorsports this weekend at St. Petersburg. Maier is the 2025 CARS Tour Pro Late Model Series champion, and has won in Trans-Am TA2 competition on road courses. Last year, Maier made his NCTS debut at Lime Rock Park and made an additional start at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL.
- Maier’s NASCAR Road Course Stats:
Ben Maier will make his first-career NCTS start at St. Petersburg on Saturday.
NCTS Starts: 2; Best Finish: 18th (Lime Rock, 2025).
- Shiplett’s NASCAR Road Course Stats:
Mike Shiplett will make his first NCTS start as a crew chief at St. Petersburg on Saturday.
NCS Starts: 22; Top-Fives: 1; Top-10s: 3; Best Finish: 4th (Watkins Glen, 2010).
NOAPS Starts: 23; Wins: 1 (Mid-Ohio, 2016); Top-Fives: 5; Top-10s: 13.
NCTS Starts: 4; Top-10s: 2; Best Finish: 6th (Charlotte ROVAL, 2025).
- On the Truck: Maier’s No. 4 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from DQS Solutions & Staffing, J.F. Electric, and BOE Marine.
- Road Course Expertise: Maier is no stranger to road courses, having began his career racing on these types of tracks in the karting ranks. The Maryland-born driver has won 13 national and regional karting championships and earned podium finishes in multiple Stadium Super Truck and Nitro RallyCross events.
- Quoting Maier: You had a chance to race a truck a couple of times last year, so how do they compare to a Trans-Am car?
“I thought that the trucks were going to be a lot more different compared to a Trans-Am car because they are heavier and have more power, but I thought the two felt very similar. There are some slight differences between the two, and the trucks are noticeably heavier, but that makes them super fun to drive. I think Saturday’s race at St. Pete will be an awesome opportunity for us, and I’m very thankful to everyone at DQS, J.F. Electric, BOE Marine, Niece Motorsports, and Team Chevy for letting me be a part of it.”
About DQS Solutions & Staffing: Guided by a mission to achieve excellence and adaptability, DQS partners with clients to create custom solutions that address unique business challenges. Recognized as Michigan’s fastest-growing company and #22 in the nation on the Inc. 5000 list, DQS drives industry growth while giving back through its nonprofit, Foundation for Pops, and partnerships like the River Rouge School District.
About J.F. Electric: J.F. Electric is an electrical contractor that provides engineering expertise, backed by construction and installation know-how in a diverse range of service offerings, from utilities and commercial projects, to industrial and telecommunications customers. When having a long family history in an industry, a company not only builds on its knowledge and experience, it takes pride in cultivating a solid understanding of client needs, all the while nurturing strong relationships with its employees. Evolving through five generations of the Fowler family, J.F. Electric has matured into a well-managed and thoughtfully diversified electrical contractor which is poised to continue its growth and expansion into the future.
About BOE Marine: BOE Marine is a Maryland-based leading online retailer of marine electronics and boating accessories, offering top brands, competitive pricing, and expert customer support. Specializing in GPS and chartplotters, sonar, radar, trolling motors, lighting, and marine safety equipment, BOE Marine serves recreational and professional boaters nationwide. Known for its knowledgeable team and customer-first approach, BOE Marine continues to be a trusted source for marine electronics. Learn more at www.BOEmarine.com.
No. 42 AutoVentive / Precision Vehicle Logistics Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Tyler Reif | Crew Chief: Landon Polinski
- Reif’s NASCAR Road Course Stats:
Tyler Reif will make his first-career NCTS start at St. Petersburg on Saturday.
ARCA Starts: 1; Top-Fives: 1; Top-10s: 1; Best Finish: 2nd (Watkins Glen, 2025).
ARCA West Starts: 5; Top-Fives: 3; Top-10s: 3; Best Finish: 2nd (Sonoma, 2024).
- Polinski’s NASCAR Road Course Stats:
Landon Polinski will make his first NCTS start as a crew chief at St. Petersburg on Saturday.
NCTS Starts: 1; Best Finish: 17th (Charlotte ROVAL, 2025).
- On the Truck: Reif’s No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from AutoVentive and Precision Vehicle Logistics.
- Road Course Expertise: Over the offseason, Reif spent several weekends competing in INEX U.S. Legends Cars at his home track of Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Reif won six out of 10 races en-route to winning the Silver State Road Course Series championship.
- Recapping Atlanta: Tyler Reif and the AutoVentive / Precision Vehicle Logistics team had a smooth day in the second race of the season. During his first start on a mile-and-a-half track, Reif learned several valuable lessons about the aerodynamics involved in Truck Series racing. The rookie kept the No. 42 Chevy in one piece and began to move forward at the end of the time-shortened event. He ultimately crossed the line in 17th-place.
- Owner Points Outlook: Reif’s 17th-place finish in Atlanta dropped the No. 42 team down the running order to be tied for 18th in the owner points standings. Looking into the big picture, the team is currently only 17 points out of the Chase cutoff, which is held by Halmar-Friesen Racing’s No. 52 truck. Kaulig Racing’s No. 10 team in 17th is only two points ahead entering the third race of the season.
- Quoting Reif: Why do you enjoy road course racing so much?
“I just think road courses fit my natural driving style. For me, I love finding that balance of keeping the vehicle on-track, but also pushing the limits of the tire at the same time. This week will be a really important race for us because we need to execute all day to stay up front. The way I look at it, there are about 10 different oval track laps in one lap on a road course, so getting the most out of every corner will be crucial for us to have a good run. I’m really looking forward to seeing what our No. 42 AutoVentive / Precision Vehicle Logistics team has in store for St. Pete.”
About AutoVentive: AutoVentive is an industry-leading Software as a Service (SaaS) applications developer providing customized solutions to the automotive logistics industry. The company is part of Liberty Hill Equity Partners, LLC, a Cincinnati-based private equity firm.
About Precision Vehicle Logistics: Precision Vehicle Logistics is a customer-focused group of professionals committed to service excellence in finished vehicle logistics. Precision offers a unique combination of talented experience, industry-leading software and systems, and a network of partners and resources to deliver customized solutions to the world’s leading automakers.
No. 44 Zambos Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Andres Perez de Lara | Crew Chief: Wally Rogers
- Pérez de Lara’s NASCAR Road Course Stats:
Andrés Pérez de Lara will make his first-career NCTS start at St. Petersburg on Saturday.
NCTS Starts: 3; Best Finish: 17th (Lime Rock, 2025).
ARCA Starts: 4; Top-Fives: 1; Top-10s: 2; Best Finish: 4th (Watkins Glen, 2024).
- Rogers’ NASCAR Road Course Stats:
Wally Rogers will make his first-career NCTS start as a crew chief at St. Petersburg on Saturday.
NCS Starts: 9; Best Finish: 17th (Sonoma, 2010 & Watkins Glen, 2012).
NOAPS Starts: 15; Top-10s: 2; Best Finish: 7th (Watkins Glen, 2007).
NCTS Starts: 13; Top-10s: 1; Best Finish: 7th (Lime Rock, 2025).
- On the Truck: Pérez de Lara’s No. 44 Chevrolet Silverado RST will race with support from Zambos, a Honduran plantain chip producer. This weekend will be the company’s first time sponsoring a driver in NASCAR.
- Road Course Expertise: Pérez de Lara began his professional driving career competing primarily on road courses in Mexico. The 20-year-old has several wins in the karting ranks, Formula 4 single seaters, and in the various classes of the NASCAR Mexico Series.
- Recapping Atlanta: Andrés Pérez de Lara and the Acceptance Insurance team brought a fast truck to Atlanta and made noise throughout the day. After starting in ninth, Pérez de Lara moved into the top-five quickly in stage one. The No. 44 pit crew shined bright and performed when it mattered, completing the fastest four-tire stop of the day. Towards the end of the race, Pérez de Lara slid back in the running order, but overall had a good points day in 15th-place.
- Driver Points Outlook: Pérez de Lara has had a great start to the season, currently tied for sixth-place in the points standings with fellow competitors Brenden Queen and Kaden Honeycutt. Entering St. Petersburg, the driver is only six points behind Stewart Friesen in fifth-place. He is above the Chase cutoff line by nine points.
- Quoting Pérez de Lara: You’ve been looking forward to this race since it was added to the schedule; why is that?
“I’m just super excited for the first road course of the year and have had this one circled on my calendar for a while now. St. Pete is a new track for everybody, so it’s a big unknown on what to expect, but I think my adaptability on the road courses will be a nice advantage to have. Hopefully, we’re fast right off the truck with our Zambos Chevy so we can fight up front and race for the win on Saturday.”
About Zambos: Zambos® is a proudly Honduran brand and a market leader of plantain chips in Central America, Dominican Republic, and United States. Part of Snacks Yummies, Zambos has been delivering high-quality snacks since 1973, becoming a household favorite known for authentic flavors and innovative varieties. Its premium plantain chips are made from locally sourced plantains grown along the Caribbean Coast, carefully sliced, cooked, and seasoned to achieve the signature taste loved for generations. The brand’s expansion into the U.S. brings a taste of Honduras to international consumers. For more information, visit www.zambos.com or follow us on social media at @zambosusa.
